It’s pretty incredible how a company that established itself as the most popular e-retailer in the world somehow also became one of the biggest names in tech. Amazon doesn’t only make it easy to get your hands on gadgets, but these days, it offers plenty of its own options in that regard.
That extends to software solutions, as Amazon didn’t waste much time in developing its own app store option for Android, launched all the way back in 2011. Sadly, the journey for that platform has come to an end, as the brand plans to shut it down this year, along with its Amazon Coins program.
Amazon’s Appstore Will Be Put to Bed By August 2025
In the early days of Android, Google’s Play Store hadn’t yet assumed the dominance that it currently has, which made it appealing for other developers to come up with their own alternatives to the platform. Third-party Android app stores thrived back then, but these days, there really isn’t any OEM pushing its own takes on the Play Store unless they have some kind of unique take.
These days, the only ones that are still around are those that were vestiges of the past. For instance, there’s Samsung’s Galaxy Store and the Amazon Appstore, founded in 2009 and 2011 respectively. They’re still around until now, but for the latter, not for long.
Amazon has announced its plans to shut down the Amazon Appstore on Android platforms. It’s hardly a surprising move. There’s really no sensible way to compete with the Play Store anymore (and by extension, I think Samsung could benefit from sunsetting its own take as well—I hardly use it). For Android devices, the Appstore will be shut down on August 20th. However, Amazon devices like the Fire tablets will still have access.
Amazon Will Shut Down the Windows 11 Version Much Sooner
You might not have known, but the Amazon Appstore is also available for Windows devices. However, that will be over a lot sooner. Amazon is planning to shut down the app’s support on Windows by March 5th, 2025, which is just a little over a week away.
Any applications that you downloaded from Amazon’s Appstore before that date will no longer be supported, so it’s a good idea to back up your data and reinstall the applications from an alternative source like the Microsoft Store.
The Amazon Coins Program Will Be Shut Down Across All Platforms
Amazon Coins are a digital currency that you can use to purchase things from the Amazon Appstore, including in-app purchases. With the Windows and Android variants of the Amazon Appstore going down, Amazon’s Fire devices would be the sole platforms on which those coins could be of any use. However, it seems the tech giant doesn’t think its Amazon Coins are worth it anymore under those circumstances.
Just like the Appstore on Android, Amazon will be shutting down its Coins program on August 20th, 2025. As of February 20th, 2025, purchasing Coins is no longer an option.
“But I have Coins left over. What should I do?” you ask, in a slight panic. Well, you have a full six months left to make a purchase with your Coins. In case you can’t, Amazon has pledged to refund any unused Coins once August 20th, 2025, comes around.
